7 facts gleaned from the Ladybird book of ballet

1. The earliest ballets were court 'spectacles' consisting of dancing, singing and long speeches. There were no plots, just a long series of charades.
2. The first real ballet was Le Ballet Comique de la Reine in the 16th Century.
3. The first academy of dance was opened by Louis XIV in 1661.
4. Women were first allowed to dance at the Paris Opera in 1681.
5. In 1720, Marie Camargo was the first woman to wear a dress in ballet that showed the ankles.
6. 1886 was the first time a ballerina bowed at a performance
7. 'Divertissement' is the number of show piece dances inserted into a ballet which bare no relation to the story